


Caving In

by talefeathers



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Broken Bones, Female Combeferre, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-03
Updated: 2016-05-03
Packaged: 2018-06-06 06:14:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6742492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talefeathers/pseuds/talefeathers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Grantaire breaks both his legs in a fall he knows he's as good as dead, but Enjolras refuses to give up on him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Caving In

“Those clouds aren’t looking so good.”

Enjolras looked up to see what Combeferre was referring to, and noted past his exhaustion that she was right. That would be more of the acid rain that had killed off three tributes on Day 2. They needed to find shelter, and fast.

“Well, we’re not leaving Grantaire.”

 _“What?”_ Grantaire yelped. “Did no one tell you what the object of these games is? I’ll give you a hint; it involves _one survivor.”_

“I don’t care about the games,” Enjolras said, projecting to ensure that the microphones planted around them could hear him.

“He’ll slow us down,” Combeferre said, worrying her bottom lip. “If we try to take him with us we might _all_ die.”

“Then we all die,” Enjolras insisted. “I won’t let them turn me into a killer for their entertainment. Will you?”

When he put it like that, Combeferre set her jaw. She shook her head.

“No,” Grantaire said, trying to shuffle away from them as best he could with both his legs in makeshift splints. “Don’t be idiots, I’m as good as dead. I’d _rather_ be dead than crawl through this shitshow like this; there’s no reason for you both to die, too! Just leave me! Go!”

“There’s a cave to the east we might be able to reach in time,” Combeferre said. “We should all be able to fit.”

“Right -- you take his legs, then, and lead us there. We’ll lift him on three.”

“Enjolras, _don’t!”_ Grantaire pleaded, feeling tears creep into his eyes in spite of himself. “I’m not worth this, I’m not worth your lives. I’m -- I’m asking you to, I _want_ you to, just leave! _Just leave!”_

He continued to protest, writhing and shoving at them both until they lifted him and the pain that rocketed through his broken legs demanded his undivided attention; he threw his head back into Enjolras’s chest and roared his agony.

Grantaire spent the rest of the trip to the cave clutching whimpers between his teeth, sometimes futilely renewing his protests. Eventually, however, he wore himself out, and could only let himself be carried, staring anxiously up at the ever-darkening clouds above until they were obscured by the roof of Combeferre’s cave, and not a moment too soon. As soon as Enjolras and Combeferre lay Grantaire gently on the hard ground, the sky opened up. Huddled at the back of the cave, however, they were safe.

“I can’t believe we did that,” Combeferre gasped, leaning against Enjolras as she caught her breath. “I can’t believe they let us do that.”

“Well, it obviously resonated with someone that’s got pull,” Enjolras said.

“You’re fucking idiots,” Grantaire said, hating how brittle his voice sounded. “Should’ve just fucking left me.”

He hated breaking down like this, but he was so tired, and in so much pain, and it could have been over if it weren’t for Enjolras’s stupid fucking moral compass. He began to sob.

“You -- _assholes,_ you have -- no right to make me keep going in this -- this --!”

Enjolras opened his mouth, but Combeferre stopped him with a look. She tentatively began to stroke Grantaire’s sweaty hair, and, too tired to protest, he let her.

“We can talk about this later,” she said. “Just rest for now, okay? Here…”

She removed her hand long enough to rummage for something in her pack. She removed a pill bottle and shook two into her hand.

“These will help with the pain, so you should be able to get some sleep. Okay?”

He nodded and took the pills from her, swallowing them dry. Then she resumed stroking his hair while he quietly cried himself to sleep.


End file.
